News

Learning about drug overdoses

Seminar in East Rockaway teaches to help in case of an emergency

Posted

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano sent a team to the East Rockaway High School Auditorium on April 2 to teach something vitally important to parents, staff and youths about saving lives.

“You Can Save the Life of a Loved One – Learn How to Recognize and Prevent an Overdose” was moderated Eden Laikin, director of Governmental Research (Office of the County Executive), who briefly introduced a parent who had lost a child to drugs, as well as resource representatives from “Narcotics Anonymous,” “Alcoholics Anonymous,” “Treatment Court” and the NCPD Medical Association.
But batting clean-up for the NC Team was the evening’s presenter, Felicia Schneberg, Drug and Alcohol Educator for the NC Department of Human Services. Schneberg presented information, used Power Point, interacted with the audience of 125 adults and youths, and visually demonstrated how to administer the Narcan Kit. She was, in one attendee’s single word summary, “Awesome!”
Schneberg helped the audience “Get the SKOOP (Skills and Knowledge on Opioid Overdose Prevention). She shared the fact that six times the number of deaths from heroin are now being caused by prescription drugs. Both are opioid analgesics, but heroin is illegal and prescription drugs can be found in many if not most family medicine cabinets. Get rid of old and unneeded prescription drugs by bringing them to any NCPD station – and, even then, consider getting a lockable medicine cabinet.
Naloxone is an opioid overdose prevention reversal agent that is marketed under the trade name of Narcan. The kits handed out tonight and from now on have Narcan intranasal inhalers, replacing the former intramuscular injections by needle.
Schneberg quizzed the audience on topics covered and had them try working with materials from the Narcan Kit, using empty containers. She told attendees that the adults in attendance would receive a prescription from a Health Department physician as they exited the auditorium before receiving their Narcan Kit.
While waiting on line to get a kit and leave, one attendee was heard to mumble: “Keep it going, Ed! This program can really save lives.”

Glossary of drug terms

Page 1 / 2